Vehicle body



Nov. 17, 1942. H, v PQWNELL 2,302,569

` VEHICLE iaob' Filed May 14, 1941 f/Fn f i i E H, .j ,/37 fj '5 m fg J0 5% HurFTVFumnell Aend I5 brackets 25 from Patented Nov. 17, 1942 UNITED STATE s Param lOFFICE y3 Claims.

This invention relates to adjustable capacity containers.

This invention has utility when incorporated in kvehicle bodies, especially for handling a plurality of characters or quantities of bulk materials.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, of an embodiment of the invention as a truck body;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line II--IL Fig. 1, showing the forward end of the body; f

Fig. 3 is a section on the line III- 111, Fig. 1, showing the mid-portion of the body with the partition in place;

Fig. 4 is a view of being broken away; Fig. 5 isa section on the line VV, Fig. 2, showing the general frame structure of the body and the positions to which the partition may swing; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail view of the lock for holding the swingable plate as in partition forming position from theline VI-VL Fig. 5.

A motor vehicle or truck has cab I, chassis 2 therefrom to ground wheels 3, and fuel tank 4. The body herein has floor 5 with cross-sills 6, 1, 8, 9, I0, and connecting short intermediate sills II. Between the sills 6, 1 are angles |3, and between the sills 9, snugly locate between the chassis portions 2 for positioning the body on the chassis with the clearance region ample in the region of the rear axle and driving means thereto for clearance as to the bottom 5 of this body. In practice, this is built up of sheet metal weld-assembled with front I5 having reinforcing portions I6 and a screen portion |1 and additional reinforcements I8, I3.

From the bottom 5 and extending away from the front end I5 rise parallel sides having vertical portion 20, flare portion 2| to upper sides 22. Adjacent the corners or ends of these vertical minor side portions 22 are sockets 23 in which may be located side boards 24 to extend or increase the capacity. Remote from the front the bottom locate pin 21 in assembly with the 26 as in position in the the body from the rear, parts 26 as retained by chain vehicle body. This pin brackets 25 engages end gate 29 having reinforcing flanges 30 and top bead 3|. This end gate as on the hinge pin 29 may be swung to approximate the level of the bottom 5 and is so held by chains 32 ex- IU, are angles I4, which pivot bar 28 for door or f may lswing away from swung toward each other, the end gate tending from eye 33 near the bead 3| to eyes 55 34 of the terminal flanges 35 extending outward from the rear of the body and determining the ends of the vehicle body sides remote from the front end I5. VAs swung into flat 'position rfor the end gate 29, side shields 36 on hinges 31 toward each and against the respective chains 32 in providing a shovel chute way for unloading the body as to the end gate 23. n

For closure operation, these wings 36 are 29 is swung upwardly, and pins 38 are inserted through brackets 33 to engage extension rod 40 from the eye 3|. The wings 36 are thereby held by this end gate 23 into closure position in cornpleting the vehicle body as a single-capacity chamber.

Supplementally, hinge pins 4| may mount arms 42. This location from the pins 4| is -of the distance of the arms 42 from the front end I5. This, in practice, may be about one-quarter4 the length of the sides 2l] or the bottom 5. With such a proportion, plate 43 as engaged at the free ends of the arms 42 provides a partition which at the down position provides front container portion 44 and approximately equal rear container portion 45. There is thus dual capacity for this vehicle body.

This plate 43 has bottom ange 46, intermediate angles or reinforcements 41, 48, and top flange 43. The configuration of this plate 43 is for the flange 46 to rest on the bottom 5, and lianges 50 to conform to the sides 20, 2|. At out-of-use position, the plate 43, as swinging on r the hinge pins 4|, has the flange 43 rest on the upper terminus of the flare 2| as a seat and the plate 43 in parallelism and adjacent the plate or end I5. There is thus a single full capacity position for this vehicle body.

However, as it may be desired to carry more than one type of goods or commodity, it is only necessary to swing the arms 42 to bring the plate 43 away from its position in there forming an end gate extension spaced from the oor or bottom 5 and adjacent the 'end swinging from end gate extension position the plate 43 is moved down into partition forming position. As so located, handle 5I xed with bar 52 may be thrust downwardly. This bar 52 is held in eyes 53 fixed with the plate 43. Outwardly from the terminal eyes 53 this bar 52 has eccentric crank arms or lugs 54 welded therewith. Accordingly, at thrust down position of the handle 5| these lugs 54 swing from below the rod 52 upward toward the end I5 and therel5. In this.

by ride behind lugs 55 weld-attached to the sides 20. There is thus a supplemental holding of this partition 43 in addition to that by the arms 42. This will permit the charging of the vehicle with a load, say only in the rear compartment 45, or with a load only in the front compartment 44, or with one type of load in the compartment 44 and a diierent type of load or material in the compartment 45.

With the vehicle reaching the place `for discharge, it is only necessary to obtain access for removal in the usual way, whether from the top or through the end gate, and then, after clearing the material from the rear compartment 45, release the partition 43 by pulling the handle 53 upwardly, and, as thereby unlatching, swing such forwardly toward the front end l5, thereby rene dering more accessible the material in the compartment 44.

There is herein provided a generally weldassembled, substantial, light Weight, sheet metal vehicle body of strength to handle bulk materials such as coal, stone, sand, etc., as well as grain, vegetables, or other materials as may be elected. 'I'his body may be readily placed or removed and has a iiexibility for a wide range of haulage purposes.

Terminal flanges 56 in their extent spaced from the sides 20 extend at the ends of these crosssills 6, 1, 8, 9, l0, and over these sills there ei:- tends plate or running board 51 with fender portion 58 to clear the wheels 3 and extension 59 therefrom forward to the end I5 in general stiffening of the body structure. Furthermore, this rear running board 51 may have gooseneck or passage 60 therethrough for access to the fuel tank 4. 'These running board extensions 51, 59, with the are on the sides establish a longitudinal rigidity for this structure, notwithstanding the lightness of its weight. Flanges 6l stift'en the top of the sides 22.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A commercial Vehicle body forming a major compartment and having sides, a bottom therebetween and a connecting end for the termini of the bottom and sides, a plate, a swingable mounting for locating the plate in out-of-use position adjacent the end to form an end gate extension, said mounting being located for swinging the plate therefrom into in-use position as a partition thereby to enclose a complete minor compartment from a portion of said major compartment and between the sides and spaced from such end, whereby said partition, sides and end form an endless bounding wall about a portion of said bottom.

2. A commercial vehicle body having a bottom, and a pair of parallel are sides and an end rising from the bottom, a plate terminally configured to the sides, a mounting for the plate adapted to swing the plate to rest on the sides, and, as so positioned between the sides, providing a partition and adapted to form an end gate extension for a compartment between said end and partition as connected by said bottom and side portions.

3. A commercial vehicle body having a floor, a pair of parallel are sides, a connecting end rising from the oor, a plate, a hinge mounting for the plate spaced from the end and adapted to swing the plate into proximity to such end in there forming an end gate extension spaced from the floor and adapted to swing away from such end into partition-forming position to abut the floor between the sides and there connecting the sides and ends to bound a portion of the floor as a vehicle body minor compartment.

HARRY V. POWNELL. 

